How To Succeed In Class: From The Perspective Of A 4.0 Student

As students, we are well aware of the stress and pressure to do well in our classes. Obviously, this pressure is even more intense when were are attending college. I myself, feel this pressure everyday, even though I continue to maintain a perfect 4.0. My classmates are always shocked to see that I routinely receive perfect scores on my exams. People have asked me what my secret is, how I accomplish this “impossible” task. Well, I have decided to help my fellow U of M students and reveal my secrets to success. I will explain to you all what I do to earn and maintain a 4.0 G.P.A.

Ask Questions: I can’t stress this enough. Ask questions when you need to! I’ve noticed that students in my classes never ask questions and I’ve also noticed that I’m the only one that does. I also know several students who are struggling in one of my classes and they refuse to ask for help. This is a big mistake. I understand the fear of raising your hand and having everyone looking at you. I have this fear too. However, if you’re confused about something and need it clarified, raise your hand! Wouldn’t you prefer to have something you’re struggling with explained than worrying about it and failing that part on the exam? If you prefer not to ask your questions in front of the everyone, ask the professor after class.

Go To Office Hours: This a follow-up from number 1. If you need extra help, go the professor’s office. I know it might be a little awkward because it’s just you and the professor, but they’re there to help you succeed and they want to help you if you’re struggling. Whenever I was struggling on a test or a difficult paper, I would always go to office hours and I still do. This has helped my grade immensely. From experience, I can assure you that talking one-on-one with your professor is very beneficial for your grade.

Divide Your Studying: This is something I have done for years and years! Whenever I have a exam, I see how many pages of notes I have to study and divide it by the number of days I’m able to study. For example, for my last test, I had 26 pages and divided it by 4, so I studied for about 5 and a half days. Basically, this breaks down your notes and reduces the number of pages you have to study each day. I find that this eases the stress when you have a lot to study because it tricks your mind into thinking that you only have a few pages left .

Take Breaks: I used to always ignore this step, but I’ve realized that taking breaks actually helps you succeed. You can’t study constantly or do homework non-stop because your brain can’t absorb all that information at one time. You need to give it and yourself a break! This will let your mind rest for a while and allow your body to refresh. A 10 minute break doing something you like will benefit you more than studying round the clock.

Don’t Procrastinate: I do not recommend procrastinating! I have never had to procrastinate to earn my A’s. Doing stuff last minute will stress you out and you may not even have time to finish, especially when you’re staying up all night because you decided to procrastinate. This is very unhealthy for your body because as a college student, you need your sleep to start the day off fresh!